Help Hot Rod Help Injured Marines

This madness involves everything we like: competition, contests, ebay, good causes and cool old vans. Well, maybe not the last part, but Hot Rod is going to try and change your idea of what a cool project van should be with the help of ebay and Mackey’s Hot Rod Shopin Huntington Beach, CA.

Three sister publications and Hot Rod each purchased vehicles off of ebay’s auction site to reimagine using parts purchased mostly from ebay.

The winning project, as voted on by going to ebay, will get to choose where the proceeds from the auction of all four vehicles on ebay will go. In our case it’s the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.That’s why we need you to vote—that’s why we want to win!

European Car magazine purchased a nice Porsche, which was nice to start with so what’s the point? Four Wheeler magazine purchased a Jeep that will be jacked up with balloon tires, roll bars and probably a winch that will look ridiculous and doesn’t warrant further comment. Low Rider magazine purchased a wasted El Camino, which was a mistake. The effort and Benjamins it will take to get it to the stage where they can do some cool things will pretty much use up their budget—which means there will be no money without cheating and going way over budget—which we expect.

That leaves Hot Rod. Our esteemed Publisher Jerry Pitt bought a 1968 Chevy van residing in Ohio from ebay, had it shipped to Mackey’s, and now you’re going to vote for it to win the competition. Build-up videos of the chaos, voting and more can be had at ebay, you know, that web site where great cars and parts are found that you never dreamed you wanted until you clicked onto them.

The van is only half-a-heap; and Mackey’s has a concept, a plan, the expertise, a wad of money, and six weeks build time to make our readers proud and our competition wish they were working for the winning team.

The winning Hot Rod van and three losing projects will be on display in all their glory at the 2012 SEMA Show in November. And the best part comes after the hoopla when the proceeds from the sale of the van will be donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. So go to this link and vote:http://bit.ly/NzVNwg